Teach Yourself VISUALLY Adobe Photoshop Elements 4
Reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher
Authors: Mike and Linda WooldridgeWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471777978.html Released: December 5, 2005 Pages: 324 $25 USD, $32 CND, £17 GBP, 20,87€ Euro ISBN: 0471777978 Strengths: Highly visual oriented text for teaching and learning about Photoshop Elements 4. Great graphics, screenshots and examples. This book can be used even if you don’t have version 4 of Photoshop Elements. Step-by-step instructions are well done. Good for beginning graphic users and beyond. Weaknesses: None. |
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Much that is communicated is verbal. Written material usually comes in the way of writing. However much of the world and communication is visual based. While many people are visual learners sometimes there is not enough for these types of learners. To truly bring out a teaching and learning experience, visual and spatial experiences are needed. In addition, to truly appreciate the visual experience, a writer must provide additional information that is like looking through the “Mind’s Eye” of the author. Too many times, instruction takes place, but the learner can’t “see the steps”.
This book, Teach Yourself VISUALLY Adobe PhotoShop Elements 4, is the exception with all these “rules”. The authors, Mike and Linda Wooldridge, do an excellent job in this regard to bringing out the best in learning how to use Photoshop Elements 4 through a brilliant set of visually pleasing and instructive techniques.
This series of book and the authors try to bring you this experience through their “eyes” and what they express and demonstrate. Some books only walk the user through parts of the instructional process. Many times details are lost or not used to give the user better directions. Here, highlighted visual cues help every step of the way. These two authors however do a magnificent job when it comes to demonstrating how the application can be used but the underlying step-by-step instructions that will deliver useful graphic tasks to completion.
Within this 324-page book is a series of sixteen chapters, The series of chapters and exercise take you through the visual but simplified learning of Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.
Mike is a technology writer and has authored many books in the Visual series. Linda is a former senior editor of MacWorld and authors of Teach Yourself Adobe Photoshop CS2.
The authors both have ample experience for expressing learning and teaching visually and this shows itself in the many chapters. And the book shows their expertise in graphics as well as demonstrating how the computer can learn visually and comphrensively.
Colored arrows point out different toolbox items so the user does not have to guess where these items are. Full color screenshots are well displayed. Prominent red numbers buttons point out each part of the specific procedures, for every clear step. Real photos are also used as examples. Most activities span two pages as a mini- lesson. Tips are also mentioned in the side bar. Here is a short review of what each chapter does to help the user.
Chapter 1, “Getting Started”, starts the user off from the beginning. The directions for novice graphic users are clear and concise.
Chapter 2, “Acquiring and Storing Digital Images”, helps the learning about importing images from a scanner, digital cameras, video are all here. Getting organized using the organizer part of the program, is also part of this chapter along with saving and With“Image Basics”,
Chapter 3, working with images conveys information about changing, working, adjusting, reverting and adjusting an image.
Chapter 4, “Selection Techniques”, deals with selection off a range of different tools as well selecting, adding and saving selection
Chapter 5, “Manipulating Selections”, communicated about copy, moving and controlling the sharpness of the image (called feathering.)
Chapter 6, “Layer Basics”, is a great chapter as it is one that is easily misunderstood and difficult to utilize. Includes a topic, which is usually for most, difficult to understand, layers. These authors do a great job of simplifying the tasks needed to work with layers and using the basics for many tasks.
In, Chapter 7, “Fast Retouching Techniques”, a set of worthwhile tasks are highlighted which include straightening, cropping, removing, sharpening images.
Chapter 8, “Enhancing Contrast and Exposure”, focuses upon working with shadows, brightness, contrast and ways to fix, add and sharpen your images.
Chapter 9, “Enhancing Colors”, allows the working with colors in different ways. Replacing, adjusting, posterizing are just a few.
Chapter 10, “Painting and Drawing on Photos”, focuses with the changing of brush sty. Applying a gradient is a worthwhile part of this chapter and is explained well (page 192-3.)
Chapter 11, “Applying Filters”, allows the manipulating of images through distortion, painting, sketching, adding noise and additional tasks. Many novice and even intermediate users, will find this Chapter 12, “Adding text Elements”, most interesting. Adding text to your pictures will give new emphasis to your images. Here you will also learn how to create and change color in text, applying filters, warping text Chapter 13, “Applying Style and Effects”, allows new effects through the use of shadows, frames, drop shadows, outer glows and even fancy covering to a layer which can add many different types of appeal to your images.
Chapter 14, “Automating Your Work”, has information on working with image sizes, adding watermarks for copyrighting purposes and printing a contact sheet (set of all images) and printing and converting files.
Chapter 15, “Organize Photos with Organizer”, adds details about the tool with the program that lets users organize their photos.
Chapter 16, “Outptting, Files”, shows how to save images in various formats, creating a gallery, and exporting images.
I really like this book. It is a great step-by-step guide, resource and instruction aid to using graphics. The visual delivery of the tasks and the step-by-step information provides lessons that are not only most helpful but insightful. The instructions are straightforward, clear and concise and very informative Novice graphic users will find the book and the tasks easy enough to start from the beginning and understand but also to use as they progress in learning how to use graphics, images and the applications.
If you have dabbled with graphics the methods in the chapters, this book will allow you to go further. Many tasks that I learned on my own or took longer to complete over the years are highlighted in this book. Along the way while looking through the exercises, I thought of new and different ways for working with graphics for my websites, photographs, images and more. It is a great buy for what is delivered. This text will be used for many graphic endeavors and will be a handy resource now and the future. Look it over and think about buying it whether you are using Photoshop Elements (version 4 or less) or the bigger brother, Photoshop.
